Our remote office feature lets you call your clients from your cell phone, but will show your office caller ID!
Glossary of Terms
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A terminal block where up to 4 sets of up to 25 pairs of wire can be interconnected. The installer uses a special "punch down" tool to connect the wires.
Automatic Call Distributor A special facility of a PABX or Central Office switch that automatically routes incoming calls to the next available or longest idle agent or attendant in a line hunt group.
ACD Queue is the system of arrangment for automatic call distribution. It determines how to handle calls - routes and prioritizes, according to who needs to handle them. The system's order for the call jobs in a queue depends on the priority system being used. Usually, calls are moved in the same order that they were placed on the queue. But in some cases, certain calls are given higher priority. The queue is set by handling instructions in a database.
Beginning of Message A short electrical pulse provided by a digital announcer when used in certain 4 wire E & M modes. The pulse alerts the PABX that the Beginning of a Message is coming.
Central Office A main telephone office where switching equipment is housed and customer lines originate. Also contains trunk line connections to other Central Offices. A C.O. line is a phone line coming from the Central Office and terminating at the user’s premise.
Predefined transfer of incoming phone calls to predefined routes. Typically forwarding can be set to send calls to another extension, a cellular phone, etc.
A feature of phones that allows for the display of a caller's number on the handset that is receiving the call. Newer units allow for the display of names as well.
The microphone of a telephone handset which uses carbon granules and a diaphragm. The diaphragm responds to voice and varies the pressure on the granules and hence, their resistance.
A name for an umbrella service offering of the local telephone company. Customers lease a portion of the Central Office switch to create a centralized point of control and routing. In concept, Centrex is providing similar features to a PABX.
Communications platform describes the structure or standard needed to support communications, the transmission of data between two points, either by telephone or computer or integration of both in a PBX system.
Contacts that when "closed" connect a pair of wires together and disconnects the wires when "open". A doorbell button is a simple example of a momentary contact closure.
Calling Party Control (Disconnect Supervision) A short break in the line current in the called party’s phone line when the calling party hangs up. Not available on PABX’s.
Computer Telephone Integration, Enabling computers to know about and control telephony functions such as making and receiving voice, fax, and data calls, telephone directory services, and caller identification.
Direct Inward Dialing is a feature allowing callers to directly reach a PABX extension without an operators assistance.
Distinctive Ringing (also known as ringmate, custom ring, identifying ring master):<< BACK
Different patterns of ringing that allow a user to identify the source of the call, outside, or inside (intercom) or who the call is for. Usually two burst or three burst with different durations.
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (Touch Tone) Audible tones which conform to North American Telephone Standards. These are generated by push-button telephones to dial telephone numbers, as well as to provide control or data input to voice processing systems. Especially significant in the operation of Viking automated attendants and fax/data line sharing devices.
Control (4 wire E & M), (the receive and transmit leads of the signaling system) An equipment signaling system usually used in PABX applications with a digital announcer. This interface control scheme is standard equipment on most Viking announcers.
Fault tolerance refers to a system's dependable and favorable response to unpredictable hardware or software failure. Levels of tolerance range from low - continued operations to high - mirrored operations capability guaranteed by a duplicate backup system. For example, in case of power failure on one computer, telephone or system, another can take over.
A type of call signaling. In this scheme, when a call is routed to a subscriber, the phone company will apply a ground signal on the TIP side of the line even before a ring signal is sent. By detecting this signal, phone systems can immediately determine that the line is about to be in use, and avoid call crashing.
Business phone system that operates from a public-switched telephone system, without requiring customer-installed equipment. Integrated with existing equipment and public service, Hosted PBX provides call routing, follow-me calling, voicemail, fax-mail, automatic call distribution queues and more!
Intrusion Detection System, describes a security function that monitors all inbound and outbound network activity. It looks for suspicious patterns that may indicate a network or system 'hack' or attack. It follows an alert procedure, reducing risk of system attack or compromise.
Integrated Services Digital Network An emerging international standard that defines interfaces for simultaneous voice and data transmission through a single channel over the public network.
Key Service Unit A central control cabinet serving many multi-button key telephones. Contains equipment which enables the user to pick up and hold PABX or Central Office lines and provide flashing line, steady, busy and wink hold signals. Dial intercom service is also an option.
A type of calling signal that relies on a telecom device to allow DC current to flow when it goes into an off hook condition. The C.O. or PABX senses this current and intercepts it as a request for service. Also known as "POTS".
Private Automatic Branch Exchange Phone system used to switch telephones between extensions and to outside lines. For incoming and outgoing (dial 9) calls.
Private Business Exchange, a private telephone network used within a business although the network often extends to multiple locations. Users on the exchange network have a separate internal call routing system. External lines may be integrated, but they are shared and distinct.
Equipment which is designed to mount in a standard steel framework consisting of parallel pairs of steel channel verticals spaced 19" and drilled for mounting screws.
Ringer Equivalency Number 1 REN = The energy to ring 1 Plain Old Telephone. The REN number can be found on the FCC label on the device. The total ringer load on a line is equal to the sum of all the REN numbers of all the telephone devices connected to the line.
Refers to a telephone call's path from source to destination. Routing is usually managed by a router, which directs the call or message to pass from one monitor to another.
An Electronic Industry Association (EIA) standard that defines a computer interface for connecting serial communication devices such as printers and modems.
Describes how well a system adjusts to shifting demand. A scaleable system for business means one that grows reflectively with the business, starts with basics but features upgrade options to meet greater business demands.
When someone calls, all the programmed phones will ring at the same time and whichever phone you pick up first, gets the call. If you do not pick up the call on any phones then it goes to voicemail of the phone that picks up first.
Small Office/Home Office An acronym for a new class of employment where the employee may be performing part or all of their work at home in a small office set up.
static IP address is a number (in the form of a dotted quad) that is assigned to a computer by an Internet service provider (ISP) to be its permanent address on the Internet. Computers use IP addresses to locate and talk to each other on the Internet, much the same way people use phone numbers to locate and talk to one another on the telephone.
Time Domain Multiplexing, (TDM) A type of multiplexing used by many older PABX systems, where two or more channels of information are transmitted over the same link by allocating a different time interval ("slot" or "slice").
Uniform Call Distributor An ACD programmed to distribute calls to agents or representatives on a basis other than the next available. (See ACD). Each person in the group receives the same number of calls.
Business phone system that operates from a public-switched telephone system, without requiring customer-installed equipment. Integrated with existing equipment and public service, Virtual PBX provides call routing, follow-me calling, voicemail, fax-mail and automatic call distribution queues.
Voice over ip (VoIP) Any technology providing voice telephony services over IP, including CODECs, streaming protocols and session control. The major advantage of VoIP is lower cost, by avoiding dedicated voice circuits. more info
